Annealing box



Patented Nov. 18, 1924.

UNITED STATES middle AT FFQE ANNEALING B0X.

Application filed. August 7, 1922. Serial No. 580,20*?.

To all whom t may cof/wem.'

Be it known that I, PERGY E. HUNTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAnnealing Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of an improvement in annealing boxes for use withtin plate or other purposes, wherein the enclosed charge of met-al issubjected to the high heat of annealing or similar operations.

In such devices, the body portion is ordinarily made of heavy platemetal with a covering top connected thereto by an overlapping orinserted flanged head, usually welded thereto.

In my invention, I reinforce the welded, shrunk, or otherwise connectedjoint by means of supplemental transverse threaded plugs or b-olts,extending through and firmly connecting the adjacent joined wall,flange, or other members, as hereinafter more fully described. Theobjects in view are to give additional reinforcing security and strengthto the already connected members; to prevent any partial or initialopening or seam from spreading; and to so utilize the invention as tomake it unnecessary to reduce the thickness of material as much `as isordinarily necessary in the usual process of welding.

While the invention is primarily adapted to the joint connectionsreferred to, it is also available in connection with the usualstiffeners of the sides or heads, or any place where rivets or boltsmight ordinarily be used, but which are subject tothe deterioratingeffect of heat. This is due to the fact that, while a bolted jointcannot be made entirely air tight, and a rivet will ultimately becomeburned or loose and admit air, due to expansion and contraction, a plug,either tapered or straight and threaded, when drawn up tight, to itsproper position, is much more effective. This is because it has a numberof surfaces in immediate threaded contact and is not, therefore,affected by eX- pansion or contraction, or weakened by continued actionof the flame upon the ordinary exposed terminals.

In the drawings, showing certain preferred utilizations of theinvention:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of an annealing box embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line II- II of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line III-III of Fig. l;

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional detail views showing various applications ofthe invention in detail.

The boX as a whole is generally rectangular, having sides 2 and ends 3,usually made of a continuous blank of heavy plate metal connected by anoverlapping, welded, shrunk, or other suitable kjoint at one corner, asindicated at 4. The top or cover 5 of any suitable form, as sho-wn, hasa flange connection with the top edges of the box, as at 6. Joints 4 and6 are made throughout by suitable welding mechanism to firmly join themetal members together continuously and coeXtensive of the joint, in theusual way, or they may be tightly connected by shrinking.

In utilizing the present improvement, I drill or punch a series of holesthrough the overlapping members at suitably close distances apart, andscrew short plugs 7 therethrough, as shown, tightly into bindingengagement, so as to firmly hold the members together by suchsupplemental and periodical connections, in addition to the usual weldedor other joint. The plugs 7 may be straight, but are preferably slightlytapered and threaded, as shown.

The driving end of the threaded plug 7 may have a short squared nutextension for engagement by a socket wrench or brace, to facilitatetight insertion in the holes, or they may be provided with an ordinarybolt head or screw-driver slot. They may also be driven by a suitableshallow threaded socket and brace, which is removed by reversal afterthe plug is driven in tight. The joints may be made by an overlappingflange connection, as at 6, or with the edge of the cover insertedwithin the sides, as at 8, Fig. 5, providing a packing gutter 9.

The invention may be also utilized in connection with a stiffening ribor brace 10, welded or otherwise secured by its flange or anges 11 tothe side or end of the box, as in Fig. 4. In such case, the threadedplugs 7 firmly connect the braces permanently to the walls of the box,and overcome any tendency to separate by partial failure of the weldunder the excessive heat of use.

The threaded plug or bolt tends to become very firmly and tightly weldedwith the connected flanges or other members, especially gether andprovided with transverse peritobecause of the heat action, so that I 'amable to secure a ver 1 firm and enduring heat re sisting joint, by thecontinuous threaded engagement.

The proportions, sizes, location and arrangement of the several partsmay be readily adapted to the particular use or instance in Which theinvention is used, by the skilled mechanic, and it may be changed orvaried in such details Without departing from the scope of the claims.

That I claim is:

l. An annealing box having overlapping flanged members tightly andcontinuously connected together and provided With transverse connectingscrew plugs.

An annealing box having' overlapping [ianged members continuously Weldedtoget-her and provided with transverse connecting screw plugs.

3. An annealing box having overlapping flanged members continuouslyWelded torating holes and plugs tightly inserted therein.

4. An annealing box having overlapping flanged members continuouslyWelded together and provided with series of transverse connecting plugsthreaded therethrough.

5. An annealing box having overlapping flanged members continuouslyWelded together and provided With series of transverse taperedconnecting plugs threaded therethrough.

6. In an annealing box, means connecting adjacent continuously Weldedmetal meinbers and supplementing their Welded connection consisting of aseries of threaded plugs screwed tightly through both members.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

PERCY E. HUNTER.

